hi i have rebuilt my engine half way and i want to put in the timing chain according to the workshop book it says to turn the camshaft and crankshaft so the key on the shaft faces 4 oclock but how do you get 4 oclock exact without any marks ot anything to line it to??

also it says the 2 dots on the sprokets must be on each bright link on the timing chain but the new one i got dosnt have bright links?

im realy confused how do i line the cam and crankshaft

thanks!

Speaking from memory here. Been a while since I had one apart.

The cam dowel should be pointing toward 4 o'clock and so should the crank pulley key (engine is the right way up in this instance). To check this, if you were to hold a straight edge across the centrepoint of the cam and the centrepoint of the crank you will see that the cam dowel and crank pulley key also share this centreline.

So if you could imagine the dowel and the key lining up they would both be pointing toward 4 o'clock, the confirmation of this being that they all sit along that straight line across the four points.

Otherwise count the number of links between the bright links on your old chain and use a marker to mark your new chain, chuck it on there to confirm.

I hope that make sense, I can dig out an image if you need.

hi thanks very much makes sense much better now

so if i just estimate 4 oclocke and run a straight line through both centre crank and camshaft it should be straight meet up eith both keys right??

so i can then adjsut it according to the straight line?

thanks!

Yeah but you don't want the dowel and the key facing each other as this would still mean they were on the same imaginary straight line but they'd be out.....well the crank would be 180 out. So make sure they're both pointing toward four o'clock.

I would check the new chain for any sort of markings, it may have some stamp marks instead of the bright links. But you can still fit up the old chain just to be absolutely sure and then get it all lined up. Then put the new chain on.

hi yer i understand now!

just one question how is the timing chain bright link got to do with any thing cant you just put it on any way!

Well I think it's there to help people locate everything correctly, which exactly why you should use it!

yer i guese your right i counted on the old chain including 2 bright links theres 10 links between so should i be fine if i just mark 10 links and put it on with marks on 2 links of the 10 to make it appear like a bright link?

Thanks!

I'm a bit confused.

There are 8 links if you were to count between the two bright links. So including the two bright links at each end of the 8 there are 10 links yes.

If you're concerned jut fit the old chain to confirm and them remove it to replace it with the new one. I reckon there are marks on the new one though so have a good look.

GL.

yer il have a look tommorow again properly and thanks for your help i can get it hopefuly full built tommorow!

Thanks!

Here we go I just did a search and found it all nicely located in the techwiki (thanks to ddgonzal). Wish I would have found it first, would've saved me alot of tap, tap, tapping.

Be sure to browse the techwiki if you have another issue, not to say don't ask anything, but if you want an answer straight away it's often quicker to get one in the techwiki.




Camshaft